


Where the Light and Shadows Meet

by byeongharilynne



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Blood and Violence, Dystopia, Flirting, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Non-Consensual Touching, Slow Romance, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:01:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23189686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/byeongharilynne/pseuds/byeongharilynne
Summary: After a revolution that overturned society as we know it today, the world has returned back to older traditions involving aristocracy ruling over certain cities and regions, with the poorest of the poor left to survive on their own. Chan, an 18-year-old street rat that had been abandoned at a young age, struggles to survive until he accidentally meets Felix, a 16-year-old son of an aristocrat who extends an offer to hire Chan as a servant at his manor. Having no choice other than to starve on the streets, Chan takes up his offer.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Felix, Bang Chan/Seo Changbin, Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin, Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Felix, Kim Seungmin/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 9
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

The sound of hurried footsteps splashing on the wet pavement echoed through the deep night, with only the sound of the pouring rain and heavy breathing to accompany it. The footsteps finally came to a halt as the hooded figure to whom they belonged to practically slipped into the shed, taking shelter from the rain and the threat that loomed in it. The hood came off, revealing the face of a young man, no older than 18. His face was pale in the dim light of the moon that occasionally desperately peeked through the thick, black rain clouds. The young man finally caught his breath as he slumped to the cold floor of the shed defeatedly and prayed to survive until the next morning. He shivered from the wet clothing clinging to him and felt the vibrations of his empty stomach echoing throughout his aching body.  _ Is this it? _ , he thought to himself, as he began closing his eyes and succumbing to his utter exhaustion. He hadn’t eaten a proper meal in god knows how long, and hadn’t slept well either. At this point, he was certain that he would either die from the cold or hunger, or perhaps go to sleep and never wake up. Maybe he even welcomed the thought. The prayers for survival had suddenly become prayers for death, since after all, the world had shown its cruelest sides to him, and nothing but. Wrapped up in his thoughts, he finally managed to fall into a cold, uneasy slumber.

*********************

Sunlight filtered through the large French windows of the sprawling bedroom, painting the light furniture with a fresh morning glow. The bedroom belonged to the naive and innocent 16-year-old son of a wealthy aristocrat, who had risen to power quite quickly after the revolution. Said boy began stirring, awakened by the rays of sunlight spilling onto his doll-like face, outlining his features in a shimmering glow. The boy slowly opened his eyes, and blinked a few times before sitting upright. He was pleased to observe that the sun had come out this morning despite the torrents of rain pounding on his windows all night. The boy dropped his feet down to the smooth wood floor and tiptoed over to the windows, opening one of them to let the fresh spring breeze in. The days were finally getting warmer, despite the cold nights that still plagued the city. Last night had been absolutely awful, and the boy was glad that the weather was pleasant again.  _ Ah, maybe I should take a walk today _ , the boy thought to himself as a servant knocked on his door. “Felix, are you awake?” came the muffled voice. “Yes, what is it?” the boy replied. “Good. Breakfast is ready.” “Ok, I’ll be right there,” Felix chirped and set about getting washed and dressed. He took one final look in the mirror, brushing a hand through his fluffy, light pink hair, and watched it fall back into place.  _ Ready to face the day! _

Felix made his way downstairs, skipping down the large marble staircase with ease. “Good morning!”, he called to the servants he passed on his way down. He was met with a few cheerful replies from the younger ones and nods from the elders. If there was one thing Felix was truly thankful for, it was his luck. He was lucky that he got to live in a place like this while other children just like him were struggling to survive on a few crumbs. Yes, he hadn’t really interacted with them, but he listened avidly as the servants spoke between themselves and recounted stories of their lives before working for his family. He was horrified yet fascinated by their bravery and perseverance, knowing fully well that he couldn’t have done it. He was too delicate, as they all said. Well, that was alright with him, as long as he could play with makeup and dress in nice clothes, as well as take walks through the gardens and occasionally to the city, earning a few curious glances along the way. He was a simple boy, at least in his own eyes. He never complained about his situation, or gave his parents a hard time. Therefore, as he reached the dining table, he was greeted by his bright-eyed, soft-spoken mother. “Good morning sweetie, did you sleep well?” “Yes, I did. The storm was really bad yesterday, wasn’t it?” “Oh yes, it brought down a few trees in a neighboring town,” came the deeper and firmer voice of his father, who emerged from his study carrying a steaming cup of coffee and a newspaper, with glasses perched lightly on his nose. “Good morning father,” Felix immediately responded. “Good morning,” his father replied, leaning over to kiss his wife on the cheek. The family then took their seats and began to eat. After the meal, Felix approached his father and asked, “May I please take a walk to the city? It’s such a nice day.” His father considered the question for a moment, and replied, “Hm, I guess why not. Just be careful, you know the drill.” Felix smiled widely and rushed back upstairs to change into something nicer, and with that, he was off.

*********************

Sunlight poured into the shed, illuminating the sleeping boy’s figure. At last, he awakened with a groan and opened his eyes weakly. He was still alive, but deathly tired and starving. The restless sleep hadn’t done much good for the boy nor for his hunger, which still gnawed at his insides like a caged beast, struggling to break free. The boy carefully sat up, and examined his battered body. Of course, there were new bruises and scratches from when he had tripped and fought the night before. Thankfully, none of the injuries were severe, so he could keep moving. He had to find a meal soon, or else that would be the end for him, so he forced himself to get on his feet and start searching. He then remembered the events that occured last night, and immediately felt dizzy. He had left Changbin with  _ them _ . If he hadn’t been so tired and hungry, he probably would have gone to search for him, but he knew that in his current state, he would just wind up getting caught again. 

The boy continued to wander, with the unforgiving sun clinging to his black clothes, until he was about to collapse, having searched to no avail. Just as he was about to sink to his knees and wait for death to slowly come upon his feeble form, a shadow appeared over him. “Oh my! Are you alright?” came a surprisingly deep voice, smooth and rich. The boy looked up from his kneeling position into the face of a young boy, observing his lightly freckled cheeks, soft makeup, fluffy layers of light pink hair, and noted how well his beautiful clothes fitted the small but strong body. He was a very attractive boy, so what on Earth could he have to do with him? “Can you speak? Do you need help?” the boy pressed on, concern spreading across his delicate features. “I…”, the boy began, but was at a loss of what to even say and where to begin. “What’s your name? I’m Felix.” “Chan. And yes, I do need help,” Chan finally mustered. “I see that. Would you like to come work for my family? You’ll be given clean clothes, food, and a warm place to sleep. Of course, in return, you’d have to serve my family, but I promise the servants are treated quite well,” Felix offered. Chan sighed and brought a hand to his face, but dropped it quickly as he had no strength to even hold it there. He didn’t really have a choice here, unless of course he would like to starve to death.  _ No thank you, I still need to find Changbin _ . “Ok. I’ll take the job,” Chan finally said after a few beats of silence. “Great! Come with me, I’ll take you to the manor, it isn’t too far from here,” Felix quipped and reached for Chan’s arm to pull him up. Once he was up, the two boys set off towards the beginning of a new chapter in both of their lives. As they headed towards the manor, Chan had a feeling that he was leaving behind his former life once and for all. 

_ No, I’ll find him and I’ll get him out of there too. Stay strong and wait for me, Changbin. _


	2. Chapter 2

“Where is he?!” the man bellowed, face contorted with rage. Changbin simply stood in his place, not daring to look into the twisted face of his aggressor. The man walked over to Changbin and harshly grabbed his face, lifting it up to peer into it. “You know, don’t you? You’re just not telling me!” With that, the man raised an open palm and slapped it hard across the boy’s face, nearly knocking him over. The boy softly whimpered, touching his stinging cheek lightly.  _ That’s definitely gonna leave a bruise,  _ the boy thought to himself, willing the tears gathering in his eyes to go away. “You good for nothing, speak!” the man cried, and once again brought down his heavy hand on the other side of Changbin’s face.  _ Great, now there’s two. _ “Sir, I really don’t know,” the boy managed to say, voice cracking slightly. “Please! You two rascals have been causing trouble together all the time, he wouldn’t run off without you. I know you too well, boy,” the man sneered in his face, shaking a finger at his nose. He then turned away and said, “Fine. If you don’t want to talk now, we'll make sure to find Chan and make him regret leaving his poor friend behind. Sounds good?” Changbin knew better than to answer that, so he just stood quietly, the tears finally sliding down his burning face. The man approached him again, giving him one final kick to the stomach, sending the boy into a coughing fit onto the floor. “You’ll learn your lesson someday.” With that, the man walked out, leaving Changbin clutching his stomach on the floor, tears spilling out of his eyes and pooling on the floor, beside a few drops of blood. 

_I don't know where you are, but I hope you're safe. I can't follow you yet, but I'll come to you Chan. Just wait a bit._

*********************

A few days later, after becoming acquainted with his surroundings, Chan started his first day working at the manor. That morning, he rose early, along with the rest of the servants. He would follow the instructions of Jisung, a 16-year-old squirrel-like boy who had been working at the manor for 2 years already. “Hiya, I’m Jisung!,” the boy introduced himself as he peered into the mirror and pinned his long blonde bangs to the side. “I’m Chan, nice to meet you,” Chan answered softly, slightly intimidated by the younger’s casual and affectionate tone. The people he was used to being around were never this open and cheerful. “Aw, don’t be so stiff, it’s actually not that bad working here,” Jisung said as he turned to face Chan. “Oh no, I agree, it’s certainly better than where I came from,” Chan said with a slight shiver. “You and me both honey,” Jisung said with a chuckle, sending him a wry smirk. He then looked up at the clock on the wall, and his eyes widened slightly. “Come on, let’s get going or we’ll be late!” Jisung skipped out the door, with Chan following him closely. 

“Alright, first things first: we set the table. Get the silverware from the kitchen while I get the plates,” Jisung instructed, and led Chan into the busy kitchen, where the cooks were already preparing breakfast. “When you finish setting the table, go wake up the young master, Felix! You’ve met him, right?” Jisung called amidst the clamor. “Yes, I have,” Chan called back, grabbing the silverware and heading for the door. The two boys headed back to the table and set the materials down. Once they were finished, Jisung led Chan upstairs to the bedrooms. Jisung stopped them in front of a large, white, lacquered door. “This one’s his,” Jisung whispered, and made the motion for Chan to knock. “I’ll see you in a bit,” the boy said and dashed off downstairs, leaving Chan poised to knock in front of the great door. Chan took a deep breath and knocked lightly on the door. No response.  _ Alright, guess I’m coming in _ . Chan gently pushed the door open, suppressing a gasp as the beautiful, light, expansive room came into view. The sun’s rays spilled luxuriously onto the delicate furniture, giving the room an ethereal vibe. Chan almost felt as though he were dreaming. He then looked over to the sleeping figure, and approached it quietly, not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of the room. He peered into the sleeping boy’s face, and was almost taken aback at how beautiful it was. It was as if he was looking at some angel’s face. Suddenly, the boy’s lips quirked up into a playful smirk. “How long are you going to stand there and look at my face?” Chan felt his face flush, and immediately turned away. “Sorry, I got distracted. Anyway, Jisung instructed me to wake you, so here I am.” Felix sat up and stretched, letting out a few small murmurs.  _ How cute, _ Chan thought to himself, then immediately shook his head.  _ No, our relationship is strictly professional now. _ “Will you watch me get dressed as well?” Felix jested, already rising from the bed. “No! I’m sorry, I’ll get going!” Chan said quickly and hurried toward the door, leaving a giggling Felix to get washed and dressed. Chan leaned against the shut door and closed his eyes.  _ Oh boy, this is gonna be interesting _ . Jisung’s shrill voice then interrupted his thoughts. “Channie, are you done yet? We aren’t done you know!” His eyes snapped open and he made his way down the spiraling staircase, calling back, “Yeah, I’m done, coming!” 

For the rest of the day, Chan followed Jisung through various household activities that he was to complete each day. He would be working with Jisung, which made him quite happy, since they were already becoming comfortable with each other, thanks to Jisung’s friendly nature. At the end of the day, both boys flopped down onto the sofa in the servants’ common room, slightly exhausted from running around so much. After a few beats of silence, Jisung turned to face Chan, curious eyes studying his face. Chan felt the boy’s eyes watching him curiously, and turned to look at him. “What is it?” “Nothing, it’s just that you seem to be bothered by something. Can I help?” Chan closed his eyes and sighed, shaking his head. “Unfortunately not, I’ll have to fix this mess on my own,” he replied, sounding defeated. “Hey, look at me,” Jisung said firmly, placing a hand on Chan’s shoulder. Chan opened his eyes reluctantly, and turned his face back to Jisung. “I know I can’t take away the pain, or make everything better for you. I just want you to know that I’ve also had my fair share of bad luck, and that I’m here for you. I may not understand fully what you’ve been through, but I’ll do my best to support you. I’m your friend now. You’ll be okay.” Those kind, genuine words made a lump form in Chan’s throat, and his eyes welled with tears. They were the nicest words anyone had ever said to him, at least ones with any meaning behind them. “Thank you,” he choked out, a few stray tears sliding down his face. “Oh! Oh no, don’t cry. Come here,” Jisung reached out and pulled Chan into a tight hug, burying his nose in the older boy’s shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, I promise you,” he whispered softly. Once he felt Chan’s breathing steady, he unwrapped himself from him, and said, “Let’s go to bed. You’ve had enough excitement for one day.” Chan nodded, suddenly feeling worn out. The two boys made their way back to their respective bedrooms. That night, Chan was able to sleep well for the first time in a very, very long time. 


	3. Chapter 3

_“Hey Chan, look what I brought!” Changbin giggled as he unwrapped the napkin, revealing a few pieces of expensive chocolate. “Woah, where did you find that? Wait...don’t tell me you stole it from Father?” Chan looked up at Changbin, eyes round. “Yup! So easy, he left to go do something and I just stole it from the table!” Changbin said proudly. “Wow, so brave...let’s hope we don’t get caught,” Chan said quietly, looking around cautiously. “Not if we eat it all before he finds us!” Changbin announced, and proceeded to grab a piece. “I guess so!” Chan smiled widely at Changbin, and ate the chocolate with him. “Come on, let’s go back to the others, we’ll look less suspicious that way,” Chan said, taking Changbin’s hand and pulling him towards the house. Unfortunately, before the two boys could get back to the house, they were met with the face of one of the helpers. “Who do we have here? You two as usual? Go see Mr. Kim immediately. He wants to see you both, particularly Changbin,” said the stern voice of the man. “Ah damn, and we almost got away with it,” Changbin grumbled as they trudged towards Mr. Kim’s room. They were a few meters away from the room when Changbin stopped abruptly. “Hey Chan, let’s not go to him,” he said quietly. “Why not? He’ll find us and punish us anyway.” “But maybe we can run away?” “Changbin seriously? Remember the last time we tried to do that? We’re ill-equipped! We’re gonna totally be stopped!” Chan’s voice had risen to a practical shout, and the door to the room a few meters away from them opened. “Ah, how nice to see both of you here without me having to chase after you,” Mr. Kim sneered, and pulled both boys harshly by the arm, shoving them into the room. He shut the door and locked it. “Well well, which one of you thought it was a good idea to steal food from me?” Mr. Kim asked, slowly approaching the boys. After a few beats of silence, Chan finally said, “Me. It was me, I’m sorry.” Changbin’s eyes shot up, looking panickedly at Chan’s face. “Oh really? So you think it’s a good idea to lie to me, and Changbin thinks it’s a good idea to steal from me? Wonderful,” Mr. Kim said, and harshly slapped both boys across the face, sending them tumbling towards the floor. He stepped on Chan’s chest, pushing his foot downward until the poor boy started coughing and gasping for air. He gave Changbin a strong kick to the side, earning a small shout of pain from the boy. “I hope you have learned your lesson boys, don’t ever let me see you act like this again,” Mr. Kim said finally, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him. Once the man was a sufficient distance away, both boys sat up, wincing in pain. “Is the door still locked?” Chan croaked, still unable to fully catch his breath. “Yeah, I think so.” Changbin stood up carefully and tried the knob. It was locked. He slid down the door, returning to a sitting position, with his back facing the door. “What are we going to do?” Changbin said quietly, tears rolling down his face. Chan crawled over to him and put his head onto his shoulder, lightly hugging the boy so as not to hurt him. “We just have to stick it out for now,” Chan whispered, and both boys fell silent, thankful that they at least had each other._

*********************

“Chan. Channie, are you ok?” Chan opened his eyes, finding Jisung’s worried face peering down at him. He touched his own face, feeling the tear tracks along his cheeks. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Bad dream,” he said quietly, slowly sitting up. “Is it time to get up yet?” “Yeah, we can start now. Today, Felix’s friend is coming to see him. We need to prepare for that. Also, after that, he has...tutoring…” the squirrel-like boy trailed off, a smile slowly spreading across his features. “Sorry, the tutor is just so cute,” Jisung said, shaking his head a bit and standing up. “I’ll show you when he comes. For now, let’s get ready!” 

“Alright, so I’ll go set the table, and you go wake up Felix,” Jisung said, hopping away to the kitchen. Chan started his ascent up the grand staircase, hoping that this time, he wouldn’t embarrass himself. He approached the large door, and knocked at it tentatively. No response again. Chan slipped into the room, this time heading directly towards the bed. To his surprise, it was empty. _Huh. I wonder where he is,_ Chan thought to himself as he scanned the room, looking for any trace of the younger boy. Suddenly, a door that he hadn’t seen opened, and Felix stepped into the room with only a towel around his frame and wet hair clinging to the sides of his face. “Oh! I’m so sorry,” Chan said, quickly turning away from the boy, his face flushing red. “Wow, so bold of you to see me like this~” Felix teased. “Sorry...I just came to wake you and tell you that you must prepare for Hyunjin’s visit,” mumbled Chan, still refusing to look at the other boy. “I’m aware, that’s why I woke up earlier. Thank you though. By the way, you can look at me, you know, I really don’t care.” “No, it’s ok, I’ll get going now,” Chan stammered out and headed for the door, averting his eyes as best as possible. “Why? Do I make you nervous?” Felix asked, slowly approaching Chan until he was inches away from his face, Chan’s back pressed against the door. “A little…” Chan said quietly, slowly turning his face to look into Felix’s mischievous eyes. Their eyes met, and Chan felt his heart race. _Goddamnit, why is he so pretty?_ After a few moments, Felix turned away. “Ok, I won’t bother you anymore. Go take care of your duties.” “Ok,” Chan simply replied, leaving the room. He took a deep breath and shook his head, descending down the stairs. _This has to stop, he has no idea what he does to me_. 

*********************

“Come on Hyunjin, hurry up or you’ll be late,” Seungmin called, wiping the last specks of dust off of the bookcase. “I’m here, I'm here,” came Hyunjin’s voice from the top of the winding staircase, the boy now descending down the steps. “At last. You always take forever to get ready whenever you visit Felix, you would think you’re preparing for a date,” Seungmin remarked, setting down the duster and turning to face Hyunjin. “Well it is kind of like one, isn’t it?” Hyunjin retorted, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah yeah, say that again, give your parents the ultimate heart attack,” Seungmin snapped back, reaching over to fix the other boy’s collar. “There you go. Now let’s get going,” he said finally, dragging Hyunjin outside. Hyunjin climbed into the car, and off he was. Seungmin stayed out until the car had faded from view, and went back inside to continue his duties. 

“Oh Felix, lovely Felix, where are you~,” Hyunjin called out upon entering the manor. “Hyunjin! You’re here,” Felix replied, skipping towards the brunette and throwing his arms around him. “Nice to see you too,” Hyunjin said, ruffling the boy’s pink hair and planting a quick kiss on his cheek. This made the boy giggle, and he pulled back, reaching up to return the smooch. “Let’s go have some desserts, I have the table set,” Felix said, leading Hyunjin towards the expansive dining table lined with a colorful assortment of sweets. The two boys took a seat across from each other. “So, what’s new?” Felix began, simultaneously digging his fork into a slice of cheesecake. “Oh, you know, the usual, my family hired a new servant. His name’s Jeongin, and he’s oh so adorable,” Hyunjin replied, taking a sip of his iced tea. “Really? My family hired someone new as well. His name’s Chan, and he’s older than me by a couple of years. He’s really cute though,” Felix admitted, busying himself with the cake in front of him to hide the blush slowly creeping into his face. “Ooh, someone’s got a crush~,” Hyunjin jested, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “No! It’s not like that! Ughh, why did I even bother telling you,” Felix muttered, shaking his head as Hyunjin snickered across the table. “So? Will you show me this Chan of yours?” Hyunjin asked. “Fine, but don’t embarrass me,” Felix replied, and stood up. “Yeah, I’m sure you do a fine job of that yourself,” Hyunjin muttered under his breath, earning an annoyed glance from Felix, who had overheard the comment anyway. 

Chan, quietly observing the two boys from a distance, approached the table the minute Felix stood up, as instructed by Jisung. “Is everything ok? Can I get you anything else or is that all?” “Yeah, everything is fine. Chan, this is my friend Hyunjin, and Hyunjin, this is Chan.” “Pleasure to meet you,” Chan said quickly, bowing his head slightly towards Hyunjin. “Likewise,” Hyunjin said, eyes taking a sweep of Chan and flitting back to Felix, earning yet another eye roll from the boy. “Come on Hyunjin, let’s go for a stroll outside, we have some things to discuss,” Felix said, dragging Hyunjin to the doors. This was Chan’s cue to start cleaning, soon joined by Jisung. As the boys walked out, Jisung hopped over to the table. “So? Wasn’t he cute?” “Who? Hyunjin? I guess, I don’t know,” Chan replied, busying himself with cleaning. “Aw, don’t be like that, it’s just between us. Oh wait...you think Felix is cuter don’t you?” Jisung teased. “What? No. No. It’s not like that,” Chan said quickly, failing miserably to control the small blush spreading across his cheeks. “Oh yeah it is! Awwww, so cuuuute~” Jisung said louder, twirling with a plate in his hand. “Shut up!” Chan half-yelled in a panicked tone. “Why? They can’t hear us right now!” Jisung continued to giggle, making circles around Chan. “Jisung stop, seriously, that’s enough-” Suddenly, Jisung tripped, plate sliding out of his hands...only to be caught by someone else’s hand, their other arm circled around Jisung’s waist to keep the boy from falling. Jisung slowly looked up to his savior, blush covering his whole face. “Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry Minho!” Jisung said, immediately getting up and taking the plate from his hand. “Please get settled, and we’ll be right back with some coffee.” Jisung grabbed Chan and headed for the kitchen. “Oh my god, this is the worst timing ever!” “More like the best, you could have broken the plate! Or yourself!” Chan replied, slightly amused at the chain of events. “You don’t get it. _That’s_ the tutor. Remember this morning?” “Ohhhhh,” Chan said with a smirk. “Serves you right for teasing me,” Chan jested, wiggling his eyebrows towards Jisung. “Yeah yeah, shut up. I’ll get him some coffee, you go tell Felix to come back in,” Jisung grumbled. “Sure thing, lover boy~” Chan called, and quickly left the kitchen, just in case Jisung decided to murder him right then and there. Chan went to the doors and opened them, breathing in the warm, late afternoon air. _Time to find the boys._ The moment he turned his head, his heart stopped. The two boys weren’t very far, so Chan had a perfect view of Hyunjin’s arms around Felix and their connected lips. _I guess I found them_ , Chan thought to himself as he felt his stomach twist unpleasantly, the air suddenly suffocating. _I’ll just leave them be. They were coming towards the house anyway. Whatever._ Chan sighed, and left for the kitchen once again. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been forever I'm so sorry! Life has been a bit crazy, but I'm back with this longer chapter! It deals with quite a few dynamics between various characters so it turned out longer than I expected.

“Come on, go out with me please,” whined Hyunjin as he wrapped his arms around Felix’s small frame, pulling the boy closer to himself. “For the last time, I’m not interested,” Felix sighed, pushing the taller boy away. Hyunjin’s arms didn’t budge, however, and instead, he pulled Felix closer and leaned down to close the gap between their lips. Felix let out a surprised sound at the feeling of Hyunjin’s full lips brushing softly against his own, prompting the other boy to deepen the kiss. After a few moments, Felix shoved at Hyunjin’s shoulders, making him stumble backwards, their lips disconnecting. “Stop it, seriously. You can’t just do that! What if someone sees?” Felix said, annoyance laced into his voice. “Who cares?” “I do! Anyways, it’s time for me to head back for tutoring and for you to leave. Now,” Felix said curtly before stalking back to the manor’s great doors, leaving Hyunjin in the cool, late afternoon air. 

Felix opened one of the doors and stepped into the manor, the sound of his footsteps echoing throughout the main room.  _ Strange. I was out with Hyunjin for quite some time, I would’ve expected a servant to be sent for me. Oh well.  _ As if on cue, Jisung’s shrill voice rang throughout the hall. “Felix! Are you back yet?” Then quieter, but still audible to Felix, “Man, that Chan, I thought I sent him to bring the two back, what the hell is he doing? Doesn’t he know Minho is waiting?” Felix then cleared his throat, ignoring the fact that Chan was supposed to have come for him, and called back, “Yes! I’m here, I’m coming to Minho right now. Thank you Jisung.” “Ah, Felix, you are here! Come this way.” Felix followed Jisung to the study, where Minho patiently sat, looking through the day’s material, a pair of round frames perched on his nose. When the boys arrived, he looked up, flashing a warm smile towards the two. “There you are. Come Felix, we have quite a bit of things to learn today.” “Alright, I’ll leave you two then,” Jisung said, quickly exiting the room. “Jumpy as always huh? You’d think he’d get used to me by now,” Minho remarked when the door closed. “You know him, always a little awkward,” Felix said absent-mindedly, mind wandering instead to what Jisung had said earlier.  _ If Chan was supposed to bring me back, why didn’t he? Is he mad? Does he not like me anymore?  _ “...lix...Felix...Felix! What’s going on? Do you need to talk about something?” Minho’s voice brought the younger back to reality. “N-no, sorry, let’s get on with the lesson.” “Good. Now let’s take a look at this text from....”

*********************

While Felix was studying, Chan sat in the kitchen, staring absently at the cooks rushing around preparing dinner, a glum expression on his face. “Earth to Channie~”, came Jisung’s voice, snapping him out of his stupor. “Oh, hey, you’re back,” Chan smiled slightly at the boy, grateful for the distraction. “Yeah, and I have a bit of a bone to pick with you. Why didn’t you get Felix and Hyunjin like I asked you to? First I had to escort Felix to Minho, and then I had to separately show off Hyunjin! What’s going on? You seem out of it...are you sick? Does something hurt?” The boy’s tone was immediately laced with concern. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t know,” Chan replied quietly, the smile slipping from his face. Jisung leaned down, face close to Chan’s. “Miss your friend Changbin?” At this, Chan’s eyes widened. “How do you know about Changbin?” “Oh, I overheard your nightmare, and I figured that since you were calling out that name he’s someone important to you...was I wrong?” “No no, you’re right, he was my friend...I...left him behind...whatever. It doesn’t matter right now,” Chan concluded abruptly, getting up from his seat. “Let’s carry on with our duties, they’ll need us for dinner. Oh and...I’m very sorry. I won’t inconvenience you like this anymore,” Chan said, and swiftly walked away to set the table for dinner. Jisung sighed.  _ What really happened? Why is he running away like this?  _ He then shook his head as if to clear the thoughts clouding his head, and went to help the staff prepare for dinner. 

*********************

“Alright, that concludes today’s lesson,” Minho said, closing the book the two had just finished reading from. “Thank you Minho, let me walk you out,” Felix said, rising from his seat and moving towards the door. The pair walked down the spiral staircase, the light from the windows slowly dwindling, dusk becoming night. The servants had already started turning on the lights inside the dining hall and the main room. Before they reached the door, Felix stopped abruptly. “Wait, it’s getting quite late, would you like to stay for dinner, and perhaps the night?” “Oh, thank you for the offer, but I really can’t impose like this,” Minho said, preparing to leave. Suddenly, a loud voice rang out. “Minho! How nice to see you! Why don’t you stay? I’ll let your father know that you’re safe here with us, you absolutely won’t be imposing.” The voice belonged to Felix’s father, who had just emerged from his study. “Well, if you insist, Mr. Lee,” Minho said, bowing slightly in the man’s direction. “Good! Dinner’s just about ready, so come join us at the table.” The three went into the dining room, where Felix’s mother was already sitting at the table. “Hello Minho, nice to see you. My, handsome as ever! I have no doubt the ladies are fighting for your hand already,” his mother said with a light laugh. Minho smiled politely and took a seat at the table. “Nice to see you as well, Mrs. Lee. I’m not thinking of that yet, so I’m not really sure,” he replied. “Well, you’ve got plenty of time. Now, how did the lesson go?” The rest of the dinner flowed smoothly, with small talk coming up here and there about Minho, Felix’s studies, his father’s work, Minho’s father’s work, etc. “Oh my! Look how late it is. Let’s get you settled in the guest room,” Mr. Lee said, rising from the table. “Hmm...Jisung, why don’t you help Minho get settled?” Jisung, slightly startled, looked up from his cleaning. “Yes sir. Minho, please follow me,” the boy said, walking quickly towards the staircase. Minho followed suit. “Now that that’s settled, we can all go on to bed. Goodnight everyone,” said Felix’s father, leaving the table first. “Goodnight my love,” his mother replied, and turned to face Felix. “Alright sweetie, why don’t you head up as well? You seem a bit tired.” “Yes, goodnight mother,” the boy said, and left as well. 

“I suppose you’ll need night clothes,” Jisung said once they arrived at the guest bedroom. “It’s fine, I suppose I can just sleep nude,” Minho stated matter-of-factly.  _ How could he be so cool about that!  _ “I guess...so? Are you really comfortable with that? I can-” “No, really, it’s fine,” Minho cut in. “Ok then, let me know if you need anything,” Jisung said, starting towards the door. “Wait,” Minho said suddenly. Jisung turned around to face the older boy. “What is it?” Minho just looked at him for a few moments, and just as Jisung was about to hit his social awkwardness limit, he spoke. “Why are you so awkward around me? Have I done anything to make things awkward between us? You won’t even look me in the eye.” By this point, Minho had already gotten up and was making his way towards Jisung. Unable to look into the older boy’s face, Jisung was unaware of how close Minho was until he felt the boy’s presence a few inches away from him. He looked up, slightly alarmed, only to see that Minho’s face was now mere inches away from his own. He felt his face heat up and his heartbeat quicken. “I...well..I don’t know…” Jisung answered quietly, looking away once more. “Come on, just look at me. I won’t bite,” Minho said gently, placing his fingers on the boy’s jaw and tilting his face up towards himself. This was about all Jisung could take. “I-I’m sorry!” Jisung apologized and quickly escaped the room, hurrying down the stairs. Once he reached the bottom of the stairs, he sat on the bottom step and put his face in his hands, attempting to will away the blush he knew was bright on his cheeks.  _ God, I’m a mess, I bet he thinks I’m a total weirdo now. _ Jisung sighed heavily and got up, trudging towards the servants’ quarters.  _ Guess I’ll just get some sleep and prepare myself for whatever consequences come tomorrow.  _

*********************

“What’s with the attitude? Got rejected again?” Seungmin jested as Hyunjin flopped face-first onto his bed. “Not you too…” Hyunjin grumbled, voice muffled by the bedsheets under him. “Come on, stop chasing after that boy and get serious. If you really want to date someone, better choose one of the nice young ladies your parents would approve of.” Seungmin approached the bed and sat down on the corner of it. “You can’t sulk like this forever. Let’s call it a night, and you’ll think about it tomorrow morning on a clear head.” Hyunjin made a faint sound of approval and rolled onto his back. “Sure I guess. Good night Minnie.” His tone was flat, reflecting his expression as the boy stared blankly up at the ceiling. Seungmin just sighed, and exited the room. There was no way to get the stubborn drama king out of his bad mood.  _ This really won’t do.  _

Seungmin descended the steps, the sound of his footfalls echoing throughout the sprawling manor.  _ Guess I better go check on that new boy. _ Seungmin walked briskly to the servants’ quarters, making his way to the bedroom he now shared with Jeongin, the newest arrival. He had no reason to complain, since the boy was rather quiet and didn’t invade his privacy. Once he got to the room, Seungmin gently opened the door and peeked inside, expecting to see the younger boy’s sleeping figure. He was alarmed to find the bed empty, no sign of the boy anywhere in the room.  _ Shit. Where is he?  _ Seungmin left the room, mind turning over all the possibilities of where the boy could be at such a late hour. Seungmin searched the whole area, no trace of the boy to be found. Exasperated, Seungmin slipped out to the garden, where he could get some air, cool off, and restart his search for the boy. He calmly walked through the garden, flowers barely visible in the dark night, not a sound to be heard...almost. Seungmin swore he could hear some rustling in the far end of the garden, where the trees grew quite thickly.  _ Must be a raccoon or something _ . Seungmin slowly approached the noise, ready to scare away the animal if necessary. Suddenly, he heard a muffled intake of breath, and then another. Seungmin pushed aside the greenery, and his eyes immediately landed on a curled up figure, skin pale against the deep night with a mess of dark hair, quiet sobs coming from its shaking form. “Jeongin? Is that you? What are you doing out here so late by yourself?” Seungmin reached out to take the boy’s arm, and noticed something dark on it. He frowned, and said, “Come with me. Let’s go back.” The boy looked up at him, eyes glittering in the dark. He got up silently, with some difficulty, and wordlessly followed Seungmin. Once the boys got inside, Seungmin turned to face Jeongin, and had to suppress a gasp at the sight. The boy was battered just about everywhere. His arms were scratched and bleeding in various areas, a bruise was blooming on his left cheekbone, he had a split lip, and there seemed to be dried blood on his pants. “What happened? Who did this?” Seungmin stared in disbelief, and the younger simply looked down, not saying anything. “In any case, this needs to be treated, come with me. You’ll have to tell me everything while I help you.” The two boys made their way to the bathroom, where the medical kit was. Worry plagued Seungmin as he wondered who the hell could have possibly done this, and what reason they could possibly have for it. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! Sorry it took a while, college started and it's been a wild ride! This chapter is also longer and doesn't have too much action in it, so bear with me :)

Changbin paced outside of the dark building, the overgrown shrubbery surrounding it occasionally reaching into his path and obscuring the pale light of the coming dawn from his anxious eyes that seemed to be desperately seeking something that wasn’t there. He sighed, somewhat exasperated at his current situation. He hadn’t been able to successfully break out, although he had been trying to for a week since Chan’s getaway. A full week. It had been a full week since he had last seen his dear friend. He wasn’t sure if he was even alive anymore, though he hoped desperately that he was safe and sound somewhere far away from this prison. Changbin stopped in front of the looming dark gates, equally as foreboding as the building they were guarding. How had Chan been able to scale them, he has no clue, especially with all of the cameras and layers upon layers of security that the owner was fond of.  _ To protect his precious children _ , he would say, although anyone could tell it was for his own enjoyment, as he watched the miserable orphans mill about the property like imprisoned cattle. Changbin tore his eyes away from the hideous gates, and instead tried to focus on something positive. He didn’t have many positive memories, so it took him a few moments until a certain event rose to the forefront of his mind. It was probably one of the most precious memories he had, if not the most. 

It had been a rather peaceful night, quite unusual for the boys, who had a particular knack for getting into trouble (mostly Changbin, of course, with Chan just going along with whatever idea the other boy had that day/night). They lay in their respective beds, neither one tired enough to sleep, but both lacking energy to create trouble. They simply lay in comfortable silence, until Changbin spoke. “You wanna cuddle?” he whispered quietly, head turned towards Chan’s bed to gauge the older boy’s reaction. “Sure, why not,” Chan replied, slipping out of his bed and crawling in next to Changbin. The bed was small, so it was a bit of a tight fit, with the two boys pressed up close to each other. Chan wrapped an arm around Changbin, pulling him even closer, until he felt the younger’s heartbeat and his breathing on his shoulder. As the two lay in the bed, Changbin felt his heart rate pick up at the proximity and the realization of the situation they were currently in.  _ Why did I even suggest this _ , he thought as he tried to calm his sudden nerves.  _ Why am I like this now? It wasn’t like this before, why now? _ His thought process was interrupted by Chan, who had become aware of the boy’s quickened heartbeat and uneven breathing. “Binnie? Everything ok?” Changbin’s heart swelled at the nickname, for reasons unknown to himself. “Y-yeah, I don’t know…” At his reluctance, Chan made a bit of distance, just enough to peer at Changbin’s face in the dark. He reached up and gently moved the locks of dark hair that had fallen into the younger boy’s face. Flustered, Changbin quickly gripped Chan’s hand with his own, the touch sending sparks through Changbin’s body. “What is it?” Chan pressed further, still puzzled by the other boy’s behavior. At that moment, Changbin felt as if he lost his voice, and possibly his sanity. With only the sound of his heart pounding in his ears, he leaned his face close to Chan’s and tentatively pressed his lips onto the other’s. It was a soft peck, done so quickly that Chan didn’t even have time to react. He simply looked at Changbin with an expression that Changbin couldn’t interpret due to the lack of light. He had just begun regretting his impulsive behavior when Chan responded, planting a firmer kiss onto the younger’s lips. Startled, Changbin let out a small noise, prompting Chan to kiss him again, with even more force than the last time. This time, Changbin participated, kissing the older boy back with equal passion. It was longer than the previous ones, both boys moving their lips in perfect harmony until they had to break away for air. They lay stunned at their bold actions, half in disbelief and half in pure bliss. Chan spoke first. “Good night Binnie, get some rest,” he said, slipping out of the boy’s bed and heading back to his own. Heart sinking, Changbin just turned away from Chan and closed his eyes, trying to push away the feelings clawing at his chest. 

_ Okay, so maybe not the best memory, _ Changbin thought to himself as he headed towards the heavy door of the gloomy building. Nonetheless, he had been able to sufficiently calm his nerves and gather the strength to head back into his cage. Upon his entrance, he was greeted by one of the staff members of the orphanage. “Changbin, please go see Mr. Kim.” His heart sank at the mention of Mr. Kim, the owner of this hellhole. “Fine,” he replied, slowly making his way up the stairs, accepting the inevitable confrontation he was about to face.

*********************

Sunlight filtered through the windows of the manor as Chan and Jisung walked silently up to the rooms where Felix and Minho were sleeping soundly. After a few moments of silence, Chan finally spoke up. “So...not looking forward to waking up Minho?” Jisung looked up, startled. “Well-I mean-it’s not that, it’s just…” “Awkward?” Chan finished. Jisung nodded. The two stopped at the landing. “How about I go wake up Minho and you go wake up Felix? To be honest, for some reason I don’t really want to see him today,” Chan said, looking towards the window in the hall with an unreadable expression. “Sure,” Jisung said quickly, and the two left to wake the said boys. 

Chan stopped in front of Minho’s room and knocked a few times. “It’ll be time for breakfast soon,” Chan said afterwards, raising his voice just enough for the boy inside to hear. “Ok, thank you,” came the response. Since Minho had responded, there was no need for Chan to come in, so he just turned around and descended the staircase, his echoing footsteps the background noise to the scene he had witnessed yesterday replaying in his head. He still couldn’t believe his eyes. Felix and Hyunjin didn’t seem like the type to have that sort of relationship, and he swore he had even heard Hyunjin make fun of Felix for his “crush” on the “cute new servant boy.” He also recalled the way Felix flirted with him...unless it was his imagination? Chan shook his head, pushing away the troubling thoughts from his head. He had concluded that he was an idiot for almost falling for Felix. There was no way he could like a poor boy like him, so Chan shouldn’t even take interest in him. The annoyingly charming brat had even managed to distract Chan from his main objective: to find Changbin. With a renewed resolve, Chan headed towards the kitchen. 

Meanwhile, Jisung went to wake Felix, something he hadn’t done since Chan had started working. He was sure the boy would be surprised, but Jisung couldn’t bring himself to tell him the reason behind the switch. Of course, he was sure Chan had his reasons, since he could tell that there was something awkward about him when Felix was brought up, but he had done it in his own self-interest to avoid confrontation with Minho. Just the thought of the boy triggered Jisung’s memory of the night before, and he could feel the faint blush rising once again before he shook his head, blonde bangs coming loose from their clip and falling slightly into his face. He’d have to fix that later. He knocked on Felix’s door before entering, knowing already that the boy would still be sleeping. He entered the room and approached the bed, inwardly admiring the sleeping beauty. “Felix, wake up. Breakfast is going to be ready soon,” he called softly, gently shaking the boy awake. Felix shifted a bit before reluctantly opening his eyes. “Jisung? What happened to Chan?” he asked, voice still raspy from sleep. “He went to wake up Minho today,” he said, purposely not getting into detail. “Oh, ok...did I do something?” he asked suddenly. “Mmm...I don’t know, you’d have to ask him yourself,” Jisung replied, genuinely not sure. “I see. Well nice to see your cute face anyway,” he said, instantly brightening up and flashing Jisung a smile that rivaled the rays of light currently decorating Felix’s room. Unable to resist his charm, Jisung smiled back. “Alright sunshine, see you downstairs.”

*********************

Seungmin woke with a start, jumping up slightly and wincing, body stiff due to the seated position he had accidentally fallen asleep in. He slowly stretched his arms upward and rolled his neck, suddenly becoming aware of a weight on his lap. He looked down and saw the sleeping form of Jeongin, last night’s events flooding back into his head, filling him with the same worry, anger, and frustration that had clouded his head when he had found the boy in the garden late last night.  _ Time to get to the bottom of this _ , he thought to himself as he gently shook the younger boy to wake him. “Jeongin, it’s time to wake up,” he said quietly, brushing the hair away from his face. Jeongin slowly opened his eyes, looking confused at first, but he quickly registered his position and sat up. Seungmin was able to see everything quite clearly in the pale light of the dawn: the darkening bruise on his face, the dry, cracked bloody lips that made him look as if he had been drinking blood, the dark liquid itself, now fully dried on his clothes, the patched-up arms (courtesy of Seungmin). Seungmin shook his head silently and got up, helping up the other boy carefully, so as not to touch his injuries. “Come on, you’ll have to start talking or I can’t help you,” Seungmin finally said once the two started walking back towards their shared bedroom. The younger just remained silent with his head down, avoiding eye contact. Seungmin sighed, somewhat exasperated at the boy’s stubborn silence. “Fine, don’t talk, I’ll do what I can.” Once they arrived at the bedroom, Seungmin said, “Ok, you stay here, and I’ll have to start waking up Hyunjin. Take the day off, you’re in no fit state to work.” Seungmin turned to leave, when he felt a hand grip his sleeve weakly. “...thank you,” came the boy’s voice, barely above a whisper. Seungmin gave the boy a warm look and patted his head. “No problem. There should be no reason for you to look like this here.” He then left the room and went to freshen up, getting ready to see the young noble brat. 

“Hyunjin, wake up,” Seungmin said loudly, pulling the sheets off of a protesting Hyunjin. He had been trying to get Hyunjin out of his bed for the past twenty minutes, to no avail.  _ God that brat could be so much to deal with _ . “Hyunjin, come on, we need to talk about Jeongin,” Seungmin said, annoyance laced in his tone. This got Hyunjin’s attention. He finally turned to face Seungmin, a puzzled look adorning his handsome features. “What happened with Jeongin?” “Yeah, I’d like to ask the same,” Seungmin said, slumping onto the bed. “He looks...bad.” Hyunjin sat up, now fully awake. “What do you mean he looks bad?” “Come see for yourself,” Seungmin said, rising from the bed and folding his arms across his chest. “Ok, hold on, I’ll get dressed.” 

Seungmin waited impatiently outside of Hyunjin’s room for about ten minutes before the door swung open. “Ok, let’s go see him,” Hyunjin said, following Seungmin’s hurried steps. The boys walked over to the servants’ quarters together, and Seungmin led Hyunjin into his room, where the injured boy lay resting. “Hey,” Seungmin said quietly, careful not to alarm the boy. Jeongin sat up on the bed, making eye contact with Hyunjin for a moment before looking down. Hyunjin exhaled, shaking his head. “Who would even do such a thing? And when?” “I suggest you talk to your father about this,” Seungmin responded. “I definitely will. Meanwhile, just make sure he’ll be okay, I can have someone else look after me today.” Seungmin gave Hyunjin a surprised look. “Really? You’d trust someone else to look after you? How unlike you.” Hyunjin just shrugged. “I feel bad for the kid, he should technically be safe here. Besides, if I leave him with you, I’ll know he’s in good hands. We don’t know who caused this yet, it could even be one of yours,” Hyunjin said, gesturing to the hall. “In any case, I’ll have breakfast first, and ask my father after. You stay here and look after Jeongin,” Hyunjin said and made his way out of the room. “Well, I guess you’re stuck with me for the day,” Seungmin said to Jeongin and ruffled his hair. “You’ll be so sick of me nagging by the end of the day that you’ll be all recovered!” “I hope so,” Jeongin said quietly, a small smile settling onto his features. “Alright, let’s get you to feel better!” Seungmin announced, leaving to obtain the necessary materials they’d need for the day. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while again, school is keeping me very busy! A lot happens in this chapter, including a scene (the last one) that involves sexual harassment, so if you're uncomfortable with it please don't read it! Otherwise, enjoy :)

The rest of the day went by without much fuss, but anyone could feel the tension occasionally threatening to break the peaceful atmosphere of the Lee manor. Minho had left earlier that day, with Jisung nowhere in sight for the whole morning after waking Felix. He had only come out once the red-haired boy had left, wanting to avoid all confrontation until at least the next time he came to tutor Felix. That left one situation unresolved: Chan’s witnessing of something that wasn’t supposed to be for anyone’s eyes. This situation had created the current tension plaguing the room, unbeknownst to Felix, as Chan went about cleaning the space and simultaneously doing everything in his power to avoid the younger’s persistent gaze. Finally, thoroughly confused and annoyed, Felix spoke up. “What? Is there something wrong?” At this, Chan looked up, finally meeting the other’s gaze for a brief moment before looking away once more, pretending to be focused on his cleaning. “No, not really,” he replied coolly, not taking his eyes off of his work. “Seriously? Do you think I’m that dumb? What happened yesterday? Why didn’t you come get me? What’s going on with you?!” Each question was posed louder than the last, with Felix practically yelling out the last one. Chan turned to face Felix, a cold expression on his face. “No, how about  _ you  _ tell me what’s going on? What the hell Felix, how can you just flirt shamelessly with someone and then the next day make out with some other person? What’s wrong with you? You have no idea what I’ve been going through because of you!” Felix looked startled, taken aback by his words. His expression was sad, mad, frustrated. He was devastated….. 

“Chan? What’s wrong?” Felix’s voice brought him back to reality. “I just...I’m worried about Changbin, is all,” he said quietly, looking down at the floor. He had no right to confront Felix about the situation. After all, he was just a house servant, and who was he to blame for his feelings besides himself? “Oh, I see...I can try to talk to my dad and see if there’s anything he or someone he knows can do for you.” “Thank you, sorry if I’m being weird,” Chan responded, thankful for at least a possibility of saving his dear friend. “Also, I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I’m sorry,” Felix added, an apologetic look gracing his delicate features. “It’s ok, I get it, I was acting strange,” Chan reassured Felix, getting back to the task at hand. The tension was finally cleared, at least for the time being. 

*********************

“Dad? Do you have a moment?” Hyunjin approached his father, who was sitting on the couch in his study and reading. He looked up, setting his book down and turning to face Hyunjin. “Yes. In fact, good thing you came, we have something important to discuss. Come sit,” he said, motioning for Hyunjin to sit next to him. Hyunjin carefully sat, facing his father. “You’re 16 now. Shouldn’t you start courting the girls your mother has tirelessly arranged dates with? Are you uninterested?” Hyunjin sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yes, exactly, I’m uninterested in them. They’re all boring, and I only have eyes for Felix,” he stated promptly. “Again with this. Enough with the ‘eyes only for Felix’. He is not interested in you, and even if he were, not I nor his father would allow such a relationship! You will marry a woman, whether you want to or not. This is non-negotiable. My word is final.” “But I-” “You nothing. Leave, I have work to do.” Hyunjin knew better than to argue with his already angry father, and simply left the room, abandoning his chance of asking about Jeongin’s situation. 

*********************

“So, still won’t tell me who did this?” Seungmin pressed, garnering no response from the stubborn younger. “Man, it must be pretty bad if you won’t tell me,” Seungmin concluded with a sigh of defeat, sitting next to Jeongin. The younger finally looked up, eyes round and laced with fear. “I can’t, I’ll be thrown out,” he said quietly, voice barely above a whisper. Seungmin cocked his head. “Really? Are you sure about that? Just tell me and I promise not to tell anyone.” After a few moments of silence, Seungmin pressed further. “Come on, I’ve probably been here for the longest time out of everyone, I know how things work around here. Just tell me, I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to suffer alone.” As he said the last part, he tilted Jeongin’s chin up to make eye contact with him. The boy had tears silent rolling down his face, the look on it absolutely heartbreaking. “He did it,” Jeongin whispered. “Who did it? Who hurt you baby?” Seungmin surprised even himself with the sudden endearment, emotions taking hold of him as he pulled the younger boy closer to him, wrapping him in a careful hug so as not to hurt him. “T-the m-master of the h-house,” Jeongin finally choked out. Seungmin was stunned.  _ How was this even possible? He had never done anything like this to anyone, even to the servant who was fired for attempting to steal. _ “Are you sure?” The boy nodded wordlessly, more tears falling. “Ok, I see your point, I won’t tell anyone.” Seungmin exhaled, still trying to process the information.  _ What exactly had the boy done to garner such a violent reaction from the master? When had he had time to do this?  _ Even more questions now filled Seungmin’s head as he gently carded his fingers through Jeongin’s hair, attempting to soothe the broken boy. That was all he could do for the boy after all, since the very person who broke him had been the master of the house, the person responsible for his and Seungmin’s livelihood. 

*********************

“Send Changbin to me,” Mr. Kim demanded of the guard outside his door. The guard nodded and set about finding the boy, always a challenging task due to his elusive nature, more so now after his best friend, Chan, had disappeared a few weeks back. “Changbin, Mr. Kim is looking for you!” the man yelled. Of course, no response. The man rolled his eyes and proceeded to look for him. 

“Changbin, Mr. Kim is looking for you!” Changbin heard the yell and sighed.  _ Not again _ . He had been in his room every day for the past few evenings, and it was becoming increasingly annoying and painful for the boy. First he would demand from him all the information he knew about Chan’s whereabouts, which of course was none, and after he failed to provide the information, he would get beaten. Same routine, every night. However, this night, just as all the others, he begrudgingly headed towards the room, knowing fully well that he had no choice, and that it was better to just do as he said or the punishment would be far more severe. All learned from personal experience, of course. 

“There you are,” Mr. Kim said as Changbin entered the room silently, closing the door behind him and sitting in the chair across from the man before even being told to do so. “I have no new information on Chan’s whereabouts, I’m serious,” Changbin said, looking directly at the man. “Oh I know,” he simply responded, rising from his chair. This was new.  _ Was he going straight to the beating today?  _ Even more confusing to Changbin, Mr. Kim walked past him, walking over to the light switch and shutting off the lights. Then, he moved to lock the door. Changbin’s heart started to pound, a nervous feeling gnawing at his insides. This was new, and very much concerning to the boy. “You’ve been quite bad, haven’t you?” Mr. Kim said darkly, approaching the boy. Changbin had to blink a few times to get used to the sudden darkness, and while his eyes were getting adjusted, he felt a hand on his back. Changbin froze. The hand moved down towards his lower back, then curved around to grip his waist, the second one coming out to grip the other side. Changbin shivered, already utterly disgusted. With one strong movement, Mr. Kim pulled the boy up and pressed his chest onto the desk, one hand pushing down on his back and the other traveling down to the boy’s inner thigh. Instinctively, Changbin pressed his legs together, attempting to close out the invasive touch of the man’s hand. However, they were simply forced apart again, the touch now more aggressive. “Be a good boy for me,” Mr. Kim whispered, one hand still pressed into the boy’s back, the other rubbing his inner thighs. Changbin felt violated and sick. Before he could stop them, tears rolled down his face as he choked back a sob. The hand movements didn’t stop, and when Mr. Kim decided that Changbin was too powerless to move, both hands worked their way down his thighs, moving to squeeze at his waist every so often. As soon as the boy felt a hand travel upward, dangerously close to an area he definitely didn’t want anyone to touch, he mustered up the courage to kick back at the man. It worked, Changbin successfully catching the man off guard, causing him to stumble backwards. He then turned to face him, kicking him once again in the chest and stomach. The man was finally on the floor, wheezing. Changbin felt a rush at the sight, and kicked him a few more times to make sure Mr. Kim was down before quickly exiting the room and making a run for the downstairs window. Vaulting himself through it, he proceeded to follow the path Chan had used to escape, the one he should have used that night a few weeks ago. The two had split up to be safe, each one hoping that they would successfully escape. Chan had. Changbin, on the other hand, had been caught. Since then, he hadn’t been able to use the path Chan had taken due to increased security on the perimeters. Finally, the security had lightened up, and he had knocked out Mr. Kim. It was the perfect opportunity, so even as unfamiliar roads and dense thickets of trees began approaching Changbin’s line of vision, he didn’t stop running or turn to look back. He kept pushing forward, determined to leave his trauma and abusers behind him forever. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been forever again, but it's back! I finally have the rest of it planned out, so hopefully once I finish my classes I'll be updating this more consistently. Things will pick up soon, but for now, enjoy this chapter!

As the first rays of sun appeared, Changbin opened his eyes slowly, body stiff and aching in every possible place. He didn’t remember when he fell asleep, but after running for an indefinite period of time, he had been so exhausted that he collapsed near a tree to take a break. The rest he couldn’t remember, so he assumed that at some point he had fallen asleep. The memories of the previous night had prevented him from getting proper rest, so as he got to his feet to continue his journey, he felt more tired than ever. Furthermore, the weather was finally warming up, so he was pretty sure he was sweaty and stinky. He sighed, knowing that this would be the least of his problems for a very long time. His goal was to find Chan, although he had no idea where he could be, since it had been so long. For all he knew, he could have been captured and sold into another city. Changbin shivered at that thought, forcing it back into the dark recesses of his mind it had come from. He would continue to search until his legs gave in. He was dead set on finding Chan and getting them both to safety. 

*********************

“Good morning Felix,” Chan said, opening the door and stepping into the younger boy’s room. “Morning Channie,” came the sleepy reply, the boy’s voice still rough from sleep, sounding deeper than usual. Chan tried not to think about how attractive it sounded, and instead focused on opening the French windows to get some fresh air into the room. The weather was beautiful, as summer quickly approached the town. Chan stood in front of the windows and closed his eyes, letting the gentle breeze caress his face. He stood like that for a while, so absorbed in the feeling that he hadn’t noticed the quiet footsteps approaching him from behind. He only became aware of Felix’s presence when the younger had wrapped his arms around Chan’s torso, burying his face into the older’s neck. Chan stiffened, unsure of what to do. “Am I making you uncomfortable?” Felix murmured, face still buried in the crook of his neck and shoulder. “No,” he replied quietly, inwardly cursing himself for being unable to tell him the opposite. He was secretly enjoying the proximity, loving the way Felix pressed into him and cuddled him. The boy was very affectionate, and he was more than glad to be on the receiving end of it constantly. He managed to ignore the fluttering in his chest and the knots in his stomach when the younger boy clung to him, getting used to the feeling. Sure, he couldn’t completely quell his emotions, but at least he didn’t get completely flustered anymore. After a few more moments of this, Felix let him go and walked to his bathroom. “I’m getting ready ok? I’ll be out soon~” the boy chirped and closed the door. Chan just smiled to himself and replied, “sure, take your time, I’ll get breakfast ready.” With that, he exited the room and went to the kitchen, where Jisung was already preparing the dishes and silverware. 

“Good morning lover boy,” the blonde teased, grabbing a pile of dishes and extending it to Chan. Chan just rolled his eyes, taking the pile from Jisung. “Yeah yeah, go ahead, keep talking like that and you’ll be the one in trouble, not me,” he responded, walking away from the boy and towards the dining table, where he distributed the dishes in their respective locations. Jisung scoffed but stayed quiet, knowing fully well that Chan was right. He had overheard Felix’s and Hyunjin’s mothers talking, and both were concerned at the general lack of interest in girls both boys displayed. If Jisung went around saying stuff like that, he would be kicked out for sure. He and Chan continued to set the table, occasionally making comments about this or that. They liked their routine, or at least Jisung did. Chan couldn’t help but think about Changbin with increasing anxiety. He still hadn’t seen him anywhere, even though Felix did go out and explore the city quite often. There was no sign of the other boy anywhere. He tried not to get too wrapped up in his thoughts, as there was nothing he could do for him at the moment. Instead, he focused his energy on taking care of Felix’s needs and wants, a task he found to be much more favorable than overthinking. He decided that he would wait a little longer, and then act if he had to. 

*********************

“Hyunjin, do you have a moment?” Seungmin approached Hyunjin, taking a seat by the edge of his bed. “Yeah, what is it?” Once again, the boy looked down, his black hair now longer and falling into his face. Seungmin sighed, and brushed the dark strands away before looking straight into his eyes. “It was your father who did it,” he said curtly, not breaking eye contact. Hyunjin’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding. He’s a jerk, yeah, but he wouldn’t...right?” He thought back to the harsh conversation he recently had with the man. His behavior had changed, but he simply thought it was due to his own insolence, according to his father. “Nope, not kidding, he finally told me. I mean, it makes sense, considering how he was hesitating to tell us. I just don’t know what could have caused it,” Seungmin said, chewing on his lip. “I couldn’t tell you. I had an argument with him too, so I doubt he’d answer me,” Hyunjin responded, flopping back down on his bed. “Ah, that explains your sour mood,” Seungmin said, reaching over to rub his shoulder. Suddenly, Hyunjin took his hand and squeezed it, earning a surprised glance from the other. “What is it?” “Please, don’t leave me, I need you,” Hyunjin said softly, eyes round and full of tears. Yes, he was usually dramatic and emotional, but Seungmin hadn’t seen him this upset in a very long time. “Why would I leave you silly, of course I’ll always be with you. I work mainly for you.” He squeezed his hand back reassuringly, rubbing comforting circles into his palm. “I know, I know, I’m just tired and confused,” Hyunjin said, nuzzling his face into Seungmin’s hand. Seungmin almost cooed at how adorable the boy was, and his heart broke seeing how upset he was.  _ We’ll figure it out. Even if we have to take drastic measures. _ Seungmin decided to take the risk and lay down next to Hyunijin, circling his arms around Hyunjin’s long thin frame. The two lay that way for a while, until Seungmin had to get up and continue his duties.

*********************

The sun was setting behind the buildings as Minho stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air. He decided to take a walk to clear his thoughts. The city was still bustling, conversations everywhere, people walking in and out of buildings, street markets still busy. Honestly, it was a bit much for Minho, who preferred to live in a rural area where it was quiet and the stars shone bright at night. When he was younger, he had always gone to his grandmother’s cottage for the summer, where he could play with the farm animals and pets and stare out at the night sky on clear nights and enjoy the view of a million stars that seemed to shine just for him. He missed those days, when everything wasn’t so complicated, when he didn’t know  _ he _ existed.  _ Jisung. _ What a character. He had been intrigued by the boy since they had first met a couple of years ago.

*********************

_ “Felix, this is your new tutor. He’s a very bright boy, despite his young age, so please be respectful and do your work.” Minho smiled shyly at the younger boy. “Hi, I’m Minho, nice to meet you Felix.” Felix flashed him a bright smile. “Likewise! Please teach me everything!” The adults laughed, and let the two boys go study. After a few minutes, there came a knock on the door. “Come in,” Felix said. The door slowly opened, revealing a small boy about Felix’s age. He had a round face, round eyes, puffy cheeks, and soft brown hair. Minho found him absolutely adorable. “Felix, are you…” The boy made eye contact with Minho, making Minho’s heart skip a beat. The boy’s eyes widened. “Oh! Sorry for disturbing you!” The boy bowed quickly. “No, it’s ok Jisung. Is there something you wanted to ask me?” “Uh, yeah, I just wanted to ask when you’ll have lunch.” “After my lesson. Please prepare enough for Minho as well,” Felix said, flashing another one of his blinding bright smiles at Minho. “Sure, of course.” The boy exited the room quietly. “Who was that?” Minho asked. “Oh, that’s Jisung. He’s been here for a while, he looks after me.”  _ Jisung. _ Minho committed the name to memory.  _

*********************

That had been a while ago. Since then, Minho hadn’t been able to get any closer with Jisung. The boy was too antsy around him for some reason. Minho shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. After all, he had decided to take a walk for exactly that reason. He looked up, only to realize that he had gone farther than he expected, and it was already getting dark.  _ Better hurry back before they get worried _ , Minho thought, but as he was about to turn around to go, he saw something move. It looked like the shadow of a person. This was strange, considering that he was at the outskirts of the town and the only thing ahead of him was dense forest.  _ Maybe I’m seeing things _ , he thought to himself and was about to leave when again, he heard some movement and the shadow reappeared. “Hello? Who’s there?” Minho called out. There were a few beats of silence, some more rustling, and then a face appeared. The boy looked absolutely terrible. He was pale, eyes red, with various cuts along his face. “What are you doing there?” The boy just shook his head, giving no answer. Then, very quietly, he asked, “do you know someone named Chan?” The name sounded familiar, but Minho couldn’t remember where he’d heard it.  _ Oh well, guess I’ll take him in for now. The poor boy’s a mess. _ “Follow me, I’ll get you cleaned up and help you find whoever that is.” The boy eyed Minho, decided he was safe enough, and emerged from the shrubbery. The two began walking back towards Minho’s house. “What’s your name?” “Changbin. Yours?” “Minho. You’ll be staying at mine for a bit. Hope you don’t mind living with the servants.” The boy cracked a wry smile. “It’ll feel like a palace compared to that place.” After that comment, no other words were exchanged, with Minho wondering wordlessly about who this boy was and where he came from. The walk that was supposed to help him clear his head had clouded his head with even more questions. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back! This chapter is pretty long compared to the others, with quite a few developments. It really gets the story moving as we approach the end! Enjoy, and hopefully I'll have the next one out soon, since it isn't as crazy or long as this one.

When Minho and Changbin arrived at Minho’s residence, Changbin was immediately fed, bathed, and given a place to rest. After he was fed and clean, the boy fell asleep quite quickly. Minho looked at his sleeping figure, replaying the boy’s question.  _ Do you know someone named Chan? _ Suddenly, it came to him. Chan was the name of Felix’s servant, the most recent addition to his staff.  _ Maybe I should take him with me to Felix next time. _ For whatever reason, he felt that it was important for the two to meet, considering that it might give a clue as to why the boy had been in such bad condition. The real question was how he could convince his parents that he needed someone to come with him when he went to tutor Felix the next time. He sifted through options in his head, finally pushing those thoughts to the side and moving to his own room so he could get some rest himself. Something told him he was going to need it. 

*********************

“Minho, do you tutor today?” The boy’s father eyed him across the table. “Yes,” the boy said casually, continuing to eat his breakfast. “Can you take one of the servants with you today? I heard there has been some unrest in that area,” the man said, returning to his own plate. At this, Minho froze. “Are you sure?” “Yes. That’s that.” Minho couldn’t believe his ears. Just when he was thinking of ways to ask to bring along Changbin, a golden opportunity arose. Maybe it was fate that he had met the boy Chan had been looking for. 

After finishing his breakfast, Minho went to the servant’s quarters to find Changbin. He found the boy organizing the common room, since he hadn’t been given proper tasks for the day just yet. The boy hadn’t noticed Minho’s entrance, and continued going about the room, picking up an object here and opening a window there. Minho cleared his throat to get the boy’s attention. Startled, he looked up at Minho with the eyes of someone that was caught stealing. “What is it?” he asked slowly, still visibly tense. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to punish you or anything. I just need you to come with me today, I’m going to tutor one of my students.” The boy relaxed, but eyed Minho carefully. “Why me though?” Minho looked around to make sure no one was around, then responded quietly, “I think I know who you’re looking for. He’s there, if I’m correct.” Changbin’s eyes widened. “Really? You know where Channie is?” “I’m not sure if he’s the one for sure, but it could be. Come with me and you’ll find out.” “Ok, I will.” “Get ready then, we leave soon.” With that, Minho left the room to prepare his books and other materials he’d need. He just prayed that he was making the right choice. 

*********************

“Minho is coming today,” Jisung said, flopping on the couch during his and Chan’s small break. “What am I gonna do…” he groaned, covering his face. “Well for starters, you shouldn’t be awkward around him. Not like he’s gonna bite you or anything, right?” Chan took a seat at the edge of the couch, since the rest of the couch was occupied by the whining blonde. “No but I’m just naturally awkward. I don’t know, what if I say something weird? ‘ _ Oh, by the way, your smile is cute? Your hair is nice?’ _ I mean, I’m me for god’s sake!” Jisung let out another exasperated sigh before getting up. “Guess I’d better get ready. Why don’t you get Felix ready for Minho too?” Chan just nodded, getting up as well. “Sure. See you in a bit,” he said, walking out of the room. Jisung turned and peered at his reflection, all messy blonde hair and fluffy cheeks.  _ Jisung, you got this. You won’t run away today! _ With a renewed resolve, Jisung went to fix his hair and organize the study. 

*********************

“I’m here,” Minho called, announcing his presence as soon as he was let in. Changbin took in the sight of the light, sprawling manor. The grounds were breathtaking, the inside so refreshing compared to the dark hole that was the orphanage. Suddenly, he saw a familiar face and his heart stopped. It was Chan. It really was him. Minho had been correct. As soon as he turned around, he met Changbin’s eyes, mirroring his shocked expression. “Changbin?” the older boy choked out. “Channie, oh my god, you’re safe,” Changbin exclaimed, launching himself at the boy and wrapping him into a big hug. He felt familiar, like home. He breathed in Chan’s scent, burying his face into the crook of his neck. It was slightly different, more expensive, but still his Channie. They stayed that way for a few moments, until he heard Minho clearing his throat. He quickly let Chan go, slightly embarrassed at his own display of affection, and stepped back. Then his eyes landed on a gorgeous boy with a doll-like face, freckles sprayed delicately over his cheeks, a hint of lip color and cheek color, and soft, fluffy pink hair.  _ Wow _ . “Changbin, this is Felix. Felix, meet Changbin.” At this statement, Felix widened his eyes, then nodded and smiled in understanding.  _ Had Chan talked about him to Felix? _ “Nice to meet you Changbin.” His voice was a direct contrast to his appearances, shocking Changbin even more. “Likewise,” he said, bowing slightly towards the boy. Then he noticed it. The way Chan was looking at him, with some sort of intense fondness and warmth. His heart gave a little squeeze, but he pushed down those feelings of jealousy. _ Of course he would fall for someone like that. _ “Let’s get started with the lesson. Changbin, you can follow Felix’s servants, they’ll entertain you for the time being.” With that, Felix and Minho left, leaving behind Chan and Changbin. “So...how have you been?” Chan asked, breaking the silence. “Well, I escaped there only very recently. That boy, Minho, found me, took me in, and then asked me to come with him here.” “Wow, that’s crazy. I’m so glad you’re safe now-” “Channie, did Minho and Felix already leave?” Another boy appeared, interrupting the conversation. Blonde hair with neatly tucked long bangs, puffy cheeks, and round eyes.  _ What is with the boys here? _ He stopped short once he saw Changbin. “Oh...who is that?” Changbin just looked from Chan to the boy. “That’s Changbin actually,” Chan responded, flashing Changbin a soft smile. “Oh really? Dude, that’s awesome! Hi, I’m Jisung!” The boy quickly hopped over and gave Changbin a hug. “Oh yeah, I’m like totally the affectionate type so you’ll just have to get used to this.” Both Chan and Changbin laughed. “Let’s go, we’ve got plenty of talking to do!”

*********************

After that time, Minho kept bringing Changbin with him. It was better for everyone: Minho would be safe, and Chan and Changbin could have their bonding time. However, Felix began noticing certain expressions exchanged occasionally between the latter two. It was as if they had some sort of secret that only they knew about. Felix was left to wonder about this and speculate by himself, though, not wanting to wrongly assume anything. He had asked once, vaguely, but Chan had simply brushed it off, saying that they were just very close. After that, Felix wasn’t intending on asking more. It had simply been a quirk of fate, a coincidence. 

On one of the tutoring days, Minho and Felix had finished earlier than expected. The two had left their room, each going their own ways to occupy themselves until dinner. Out of habit, Felix found himself walking to the servants’ quarters, where he was sure to find Chan. He had developed a sort of soft spot for this boy. Everything about him was charming, from his sparkly dark eyes, his full lips and dimples, his athletic build, his compassion and kindness towards others, and more. Felix could go on all day about Chan’s good qualities. He sighed contentedly, feeling thankful to whatever forces had led him to Chan the day he had picked him up off the streets. His thoughts were interrupted, though, as he approached the servants’ common room. He heard hushed whispers, and unable to control his impulsive curiosity, leaned in to listen. 

“...we have to do this. There is no other way Channie. We aren’t safe here forever. What if he finds us?” He heard Chan sigh. “I know, I know. I just got used to life here, you know? Felix really did a lot for me.” At this, Changbin huffed in annoyance. “Of course this is about Felix. I get it, you have feelings for him, but we’re talking about our safety here!” Felix blushed.  _ Did he really? _ That would explain a lot of his actions, that’s for sure. There were a few moments of silence before Chan responded. “Ok, yeah, you’re right. Maybe I do. But I have no chance with him, so yeah, we’re doing this. We just gotta plan carefully so we don’t get caught. Start thinking of safe routes, I’ll slowly start collecting necessities. Now come on, I’m sure they’ll be done soon.” The two started moving, so Felix quickly left, now with two very important pieces of information. Chan liked him, and was planning to leave with Changbin. 

*********************

Meanwhile, around the same time, another event was unfolding. Jisung was cleaning one of the guest bedrooms, as usual, so that Minho could stay the night. Changbin would be sleeping in the servants’ quarters, along with him and the rest of the servants at the manor. He opened the windows, letting the warm summer air flow into the room. He resumed his task, fixing the bed sheets, rearranging the desk beside it, dusting the closet, and so on. Suddenly, he heard footsteps and the sound of the door closing. He jumped slightly, turning to face the door.  _ Oh shit. _ There was Minho, right in front of him, the closed door behind him. He was casually leaning on it, an amused look playing on his elegant facial features. His eyes sparkled with mischief, lips pulled into a playful smirk, arms crossed over his chest. “Jisung. How nice to see you here.” Jisung just nodded, turning back to his cleaning to avoid staring at the beautiful man in front of him. “Likewise. Do you need something?” He heard footsteps and his heart started beating faster. “Yeah. An answer. A clear answer.” He said this as he stopped right behind Jisung, just a few inches away. “I don’t understand what you’re asking,” Jisung said quietly, not daring to make a movement. “Turn around and look me in the eyes. You haven’t done that even once since I’ve been coming here.” Slowly, Jisung turned to face Minho, still looking down. Suddenly, he felt a hand under his chin, firm yet gentle, and his face was tilted slightly up to meet Minho’s intense gaze. Jisung felt his heart stop. “Why are you like this? What have I done to deserve your cold shoulder?” Jisung felt his face light up, cheeks aflame, tips of his ears burning.  _ Guess there’s no other way _ . “It’s not you, Minho. It’s me,” he said firmly, before leaning in and pressing his lips onto Minho’s. Even that small peck made Jisung’s whole body feel electrified. Mino stood for a few moments, eyes wide.  _ Shit. I totally messed up, he could kick me out for this! Jisung, why- _ A sudden movement interrupted Jisung’s flow of thoughts. The situation felt surreal. Minho was kissing him back, this time with more passion and warmth. This one lasted longer than the previous one, with Jisung finally breaking away to process what had just happened. “Sorry, was that too much?” All the bravado now gone, Minho stood sheepishly, scratching at the back of his head. “No, not at all! I just...didn’t think you’d feel that way about me.” “Neither did I, until it happened,” Minho answered and gave a shaky laugh. As Jisung was about to say something else, the door opened, revealing a distraught Felix. “Oh, that’s where you guys are! It’s time for dinner. Minho, we need to talk later.” With that, the boy turned and left, leaving the two feeling slightly bewildered. “I guess we’ll go then,” Jisung said, heading towards the door. Suddenly, he felt a hand wrap around his wrist. “Wait. Promise me we’ll talk about this at a better time, ok?” He looked up at Minho, meeting his soft gaze. “Sure. Yeah, let’s talk later.” The two boys then left for dinner, with no evidence of the event that had just unfolded between the boys to be found.

*********************

There was a crash, the sound of something falling. A loud voice, just short of being loud enough to make the words it formed audible to people outside the room. Cries of suffering. This went on for a few more minutes, then quiet. A few moments later, the door opened, and a battered body was pushed out of the room. The boy staggered, holding himself up by the wall. The door slammed shut, the clink of expensive glassware the only sound remaining in the room. The boy slowly made his way down the hall and into his quarters. He had just enough energy to collapse onto the bathroom floor, before passing out due to extreme pain everywhere. His head throbbed, body ached, bruises and cuts littered everywhere.  _ This is it. I’m going to die, _ the boy thought to himself before everything went dark. 


End file.
